.gg

Overview

• .gg is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
• The registry and sponsor is Island Networks (which also administers .je for Jersey).
• Registrations are available directly at the second level and under legacy second-level categories (e.g., .co.gg, .net.gg, .org.gg).
• DNSSEC is enabled for the zone.

History

• The .gg domain was created in 1996. Nigel Roberts and Laurie Brown, co‑founders of Island Networks, proposed .gg (and .je) to Jon Postel in 1996.
• Administration has been handled by Island Networks since inception.
• Usage rose in the late 2000s; by 2009 there were roughly 10,000 .gg and .je registrations.

Usage and Audience

• Intended use: entities connected with the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
• Actual use:
  • Local Guernsey websites and organizations.
  • Widespread adoption by gaming, esports and gambling-related sites because "gg" is a common gaming initialism meaning "good game".
  • Online streamers and gaming communities commonly use .gg domain hacks.
• Notable public use: the VoIP/game platform Discord uses discord.gg as a redirect and for invite links.
• Legacy second-level domains and their typical users:
  • .co.gg — commercial / personal
  • .net.gg — ISPs / commercial
  • .org.gg — organizations (free to local good causes)

Registration Rules

• General policy: registrations are available worldwide; there are generally no nationality or residency restrictions.
• Conditions and restrictions include:
  • Registrants must provide accurate identity information.
  • Domains must not be used for illegal purposes or to promote unlawful activity.
  • Use of domains for sending unsolicited spam or "spamvertising" is prohibited.
  • Use of a domain to promote, encourage or assist suicide is explicitly forbidden by registry conditions.
  • The registry may suspend or cancel domains if they reasonably appear to be used in contravention of applicable law or registry conditions.
  • The registry may reserve or decline names (including certain words, string patterns or historically registered names) and may register domains for its own use.
  • Registrations containing certain string patterns (for example, two consecutive hyphens used in some IDNs) may be subject to additional conditions or not accepted for general registration.
• Dispute policy: the registry maintains a dispute resolution service and terms and conditions govern registrations.

SEO and Brand Impact

• Brand positioning: .gg has become strongly associated with gaming and esports due to the "good game" initialism, making it attractive for brands, streamers and gaming services targeting that audience.
• The TLD is also used by local Guernsey entities, providing geographic branding for Channel Islands sites.
• The sources do not provide specific information about search-engine ranking differences or trust metrics tied to .gg beyond its community/brand associations.

Notable Cases or Examples

• Discord uses discord.gg for redirects and server invite links, illustrating adoption by major gaming-related platforms.
• News coverage has noted registry enforcement related to harmful content: Channel Islands domains have been referenced in reporting about blocking promotion of suicide, reflecting the registry's explicit prohibition on such uses.
• Island Networks administers both .gg and .je, and the combined inventory of Channel Islands domains reached roughly 10,000 by 2009.

% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       GG

organisation: Island Networks Ltd.
address:      Maison Postel
address:      Ollivier St
address:      Alderney GY9 3JZ
address:      Guernsey

contact:      administrative
name:         Nigel Roberts
organisation: Island Networks Ltd
address:      Maison Postel
address:      Ollivier St
address:      Alderney GY9 3JZ
address:      Guernsey
phone:        +44 7781 426912
e-mail:       hostmaster2016@iana-contact.gg

contact:      technical
name:         GG-Hostmaster
organisation: Island Networks Limited
address:      Maison Postel
address:      Ollivier St
address:      Alderney GY9 3JZ
address:      Guernsey
phone:        +44 7781 426912
e-mail:       hostmaster2016@iana-contact.gg

nserver:      C.CI-SERVERS.ORG 194.146.106.86 2001:67c:1010:22:0:0:0:53
nserver:      DNS1.NOMINETDNS.UK 213.248.219.254 2a01:618:403:0:0:0:0:254
nserver:      DNS2.NOMINETDNS.UK 103.49.83.254 2401:fd80:403:0:0:0:0:254
nserver:      DNS3.NOMINETDNS.UK 213.248.223.254 2a01:618:407:0:0:0:0:254
nserver:      DNS4.NOMINETDNS.UK 2401:fd80:407:0:0:0:0:254 43.230.51.254
nserver:      E.CI-SERVERS.NET 2001:500:14:6074:ad:0:0:1 204.61.216.74
ds-rdata:     4975 8 2 6b95da44b57bf3bdfce8e9cf6d28df4b0ff999a374eff7909e095ab1c7000630

whois:        whois.gg

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.nic.gg

created:      1996-08-07
changed:      2025-07-07
source:       IANA